Improvement in mechanisms for operating water-closet valves



E. A. CALAHAN.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING WATER-CLOSET VALVES.

$11,173,266. Patented Feb. 8, 1876.

1&1. 1 1- 12.

N.PETERS, PHOTO-UTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. Q

UNITED. STATES EDWARD A. GALAHAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN MECHANISMS FIlR OPERATING WATER-CLOSET VALVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,566, dated February 8, 1876; application filed April 23, 1875.

To all whom it may con'cern:

Be, it known that I, EDWARD AJOALAHAN,

of the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Valves for Water Closets; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing which formsapart of this specification. r

This invention relates to that class of water- 'valves which are designed to automatically 7 to open it.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is an elevation of one side of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the reverse side thereof, the cover of the valvechamber being removed to disclose the valve. Fig.- 3 is an elevation of the opposite side of the device, with the face-plate of the inclosingcase removed; and Fig. 4 isa vertical section of the device on the plane of the dotted line at .70, Fig. 3. 1

B designates 'a valve-box or chamber, which,

7 in the example shown, (see Fig. 2), is of triangular form, and into which there opens an inductionpipe or port, 0, and an eduction-pipe or port, D. E denotes the valve, which is secured to an arbor or shaft, G, in such manner that by operating said shaft the said valve may be caused to close against either of the ports 0 or D, as will be presently described. I have shown the said valve-box as secured to one side of a case, A, the latter being designed more particularly for containing a train' of toothed wheels. The shaft G extends through the said casc'A, and is provided on its other end with a toothed sector, K, which gears with the teeth of a sliding bar, L. A spiral forcibly thrust in an opposite directionas, for

instance, (refer to Fig. 1,) by the weight of a person on the seat of a water-closet. Whenever the bar L is depressed by the weight of a person on the seat of a Water-closet, or by a rod or other means, the valve E will be swung over against the end of the induction pipe or port 0, and, as soon as the bar L is released the spring M retracts or draws it back, and hence causes the valve E to close against the mouth of the eduction pipe or port D, the water escaping into the basinof the watercloset during the transit of the valve. N V P Q S designate a train of spur-wheels, (see Figs. 3 and 4,) for the purpose of retarding the automatic closing of the valve, so that a sufficient supply of water may be permitted to escape into the basin of the water-closet. The

spur-wheel N is mounted loosely on the arbor or shaft G, and carries a pawl, H, which is caused by a spring, I, toengage with a ratchet-wheel, J, rigidly affixed to the said shaft G, whereby the shaft is permitted to be turned in one direction without operating the gearwheels. This wheel N gears with a pinion V,

(see Fig. 4,) arranged on a shaft, 0, which shaft also carries a large spur-wheel, P, gearing with the pinion Q on a shaft, It. On the shaft B there is an escapement-wheel, S, of the ordinary construction. A pallet or pendulum, T, engages with the scape-wheel in the usual manner, for controlling its speed. The

pallet carries a weight, U, which may be op-' erated the same as the weight on a clock-pendulum, and for the same purpose. It will thus be seen that by this mechanism the time allowed the valve E for closing may be regu lated in a perfectly reliable manner, and hence determine the quantity of water which is to PATENT OF ICE.

be deemed advisable, without departing from the principle of my invention. Although I have shown the valve as automatically closing against the eduction-port, so that it may have the force of the water to assist it in automatically closing, yet it is obvious that it may be arranged to close against the induction-port, in which case it need not open against the eduction-port, or if closing against the eduction-port it need not be arranged to close against the induction-port, if a continuous stream is required while the seat of a water-closet is occupied.

I will remark that, instead of the scapewheel and pendulum, any other suitable mechanism which will retard or control the speed of the wheel or valve-shaft may be employed for instance a fly or a governor. I will also remark that, instead of employing the toothed sector and rack on the sliding bar L, I have found that I can secure an arm at one of its ends on the valve-shaft G, and so arrange its other end that it will engage with a slot, notch, or pin on the said bar L, so that the movement of the bar L will revolve the valve-shaft G, and operate the valve. This somewhat cheapens the construction of these parts.

unlike those "alves which depend upon the pressure of water for their retardation in closing, always insures the escape into, the watercloset basin of a quantity of water sufficient to wash it out, thereby obviating the necessity of opening the valve a number of times for this purpose, or holding the same open, and also obviating the waste of water in such cases necessarily ensuing.

I am aware that it is not new to apply to clock mechanism a fan-wheel to control speed, nor is it new to combine a pendulum-escapement with the valve of a-steam-engine in such manner as to be operated by the engine, and serve as a governor.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a water-valve and its port or ports, of a wheel or train of wheels, under the control of an escapement, and actuated by a spring arranged to be operated by a push or pull bar or rod, substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

2. The combination of the vibratory valve- EDWD. A. OALAHAN;

Witnesses:

T. J. SULLIVAN, A. J. DELACY. 

